Steampunk Fantasy. It's not easy being Queen of the Goblins, as Xandra Vardan discovers as soon as her reign commences. Between locating fresh corpses to keep her loyal subjects fed and keeping her head on her shoulders (Queen Victoria, England's immortal sovereign, does not like competition), Xandra -- despite the support of her mate, alpha werewolf Vex McLaughlin, and a small band of allies -- has her hands full in this 3rd book in the Immortal Empire series, following God Save the Queen and The Queen is Dead.

Short Stories. There's something for everyone in this genre-spanning anthology of 21 stories, in which women -- heroines and villainesses alike -- take center stage. Fans of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, Diana Gabaldon's Outlander saga, and George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire will enjoy exploring new facets of the worlds in which these series are set. Meanwhile, stand-alone stories by fantasy stalwarts such as Megan Lindholm, Brandon Sanderson, and Joe Abercrombie complement entries by a diverse group of veteran authors known for their work in other genres, including Sharon Kay Penman, Lawrence Block, and Nancy Kress.

Fantasy. Seeking uncharted territory, adventurous American travel writer Grafton decides to write a guidebook on a small, unnamed Balkan nation that's hard to find, harder to enter, and hardest of all to escape. Detained shortly after arrival for not having his passport (and not having a passport because it was confiscated by the authorities), Grafton becomes a prisoner, a political pawn, and the unwitting plaything of supernatural forces. Atmospheric and intricately plotted, The Land Across "evokes Kafka, Bradbury, and The Twilight Zone," says Publishers Weekly.

Mythic Fantasy. Liam Kelly has always known that his mother's husband isn't his real father, but it's not until he's arrested by the British Army and sent to prison that he learns the truth: his sire is one of the Fair Folk, who are currently engaged in a brutal war with the Fallen, a group of angels in exile from Heaven. Set in Northern Ireland in the 1970s, at the height of the Troubles, this debut is the 1st of the Fey and the Fallen novels, followed by And Blue Skies from Pain.

Fantasy. The Thiefmaker of Camorr sells street urchin Locke Lamora to a fake priest, setting the boy on the path to fame and fortune (of a sort). Locke grows up to be the "garrista" (leader) of the Gentlemen Bastards, a gang of crooks and con artists. Operating as the Thorn of Camorr, he pursues his ambition of becoming the greatest thief of all time -- until a mysterious man called the Gray King becomes the new head of Camorr's criminal underworld and sets out to put an end to Locke Lamora through magic. This picaresque fantasy romp is the 1st book in the Gentleman Bastards series, which continues with Red Seas Under Red Skies and The Republic of Thieves.

Historical Fantasy. If you've ever thought The Three Musketeers would have been better with dragons, then be sure to put this book on your reading list. In 1633, France is under threat from rival power Spain, a nation ruled by dragons. The only ones who can stop the Court of Dragons' agents, the Black Claw, are the Cardinal's Blades. Too bad they've been disbanded. Can the swordsmen reunite in time to save their country? Originally released in France, this swashbuckling adventure story is the 1st book in a trilogy that continues with The Alchemist in the Shadows and The Dragon Arcana.

Alternate History Fantasy. A mad scientist's super-powered army fights supernatural creatures conjured by occult practitioners in this compelling debut. As World War II threatens to engulf Europe, Herr Doktor von Westarp purchases orphans and sets to work transforming them into Übermenschen. Meanwhile, British secret agent Raybould Marsh recruits his old friend, warlock Will Beauclerk, to summon demons as part of an extra-dimensional counterattack. If you enjoy action-packed alternate history, check out this opening installment of the Milkweed Triptych, followed by The Coldest War and Necessary Evil.

Urban Fantasy. Miriam Black knows how you're going to die. She'll even help you get to your final destination faster, in exchange for anything you might be carrying in your pockets. Just once, though, she'd like to step aside and let fate take its course without her. When she decides, on a whim, to spare the life of long-haul trucker Louis Darling, Miriam learns that walking away from destiny only makes matters worse. Now Miriam must use all of her hated precognitive talents to save Louis -- and herself. For a gritty, darkly humorous, and horror-tinged urban fantasy series, don't miss Chuck Wendig's Miriam Black novels; Blackbirds, the 1st book, is followed by Mockingbird and The Cormorant.